Wedding Day Tips:
writen by a photographer
Your wedding day is one of the most exciting days of your life, but with so many moving pieces, it can also feel a little overwhelming. The good news? A little planning ahead can make a huge difference.
After photographing countless weddings, I’ve learned that the best wedding days aren’t necessarily the ones where everything goes perfectly. They’re the ones where the couple has surrounded themselves with the right people, and left room to simply enjoy the day.
Here are some of my favorite tips for making your wedding day feel easier, more relaxed, and a whole lot more enjoyable.
Don't Schedule Every Minute of Your Day
It can be tempting to create a timeline where every single minute is accounted for, but your wedding day shouldn't feel like a work schedule.
Leave room to just be.
Maybe that's sitting with your bridesmaids for an extra five minutes. Taking a quiet moment with your parents. Having a drink with your fiancé before the ceremony. Or simply looking around your reception and taking it all in.
Some of the sweetest memories happen in the moments that weren't planned.
Have All of Your Details Together
This is one of my favorite ways to make the beginning of the day run smoothly.
Before your photographer arrives, gather all of your wedding details into one place:
Wedding invitation
Rings
Heirloom jewelry
Perfume
Shoes
Veil
Hair accessories
Vow books
Bridal jewelry
Any sentimental items
Put everything into a small box or bag so your photographer can photograph everything without having to search the entire room.
It saves time and it gives your photographer everything they need to create those beautiful detail photographs without interrupting your morning.
Keep the Getting-Ready Space Clean
This may sound small, but it makes a huge difference in your photos.
Designate one area for getting ready and try to keep clutter contained. Have bridesmaids put bags, shoes, food containers, and random belongings in a closet or one area of the room.
You don't need a perfectly styled room. You just want the space around you to feel calm and uncluttered.
And trust me your future self will thank you when you look back at your photos.
Choose Your Getting-Ready Location Carefully
If you have the option, choose a space with beautiful natural light and plenty of room.
Large windows, neutral walls, and enough space for your bridal party to move around will make the morning much more enjoyable and photograph beautifully.
Your getting-ready room is where your wedding story begins, so don't overlook it when choosing your venue or planning your day.
Hire Vendors You Trust
Your wedding vendors play a huge role in how your day feels.
Choose vendors who are experienced, organized, communicative, and who make you feel comfortable.
Your photographer, videographer, planner, florist, hair and makeup artist, DJ, and other vendors should feel like people you can trust and
The more confident you are in your vendor team, the easier it will be to relax and enjoy your day.
Let Someone Else Handle the Little Things
This is perhaps my biggest piece of advice:
Don't be the person solving problems on your wedding day.
Assign someone you trust, your planner, maid of honor, family member, or coordinator, to handle questions and little problems that come up.
If the florist needs to know where something goes, you shouldn't be the one answering.
If someone can't find their boutonnière, you shouldn't be running around looking for it.
If the cake delivery is running late, you shouldn't even know about it.
Your only job should be to get married and enjoy yourself.
Plan Your Family Photos Ahead of Time
Family portraits can quickly become one of the most stressful parts of the day if they're not organized.
Before the wedding, make a list of the family combinations you want photographed and give it to your photographer.
Keep the list realistic and designate someone who knows both families to help gather everyone.
Having someone calling names and finding missing family members can save so much time.
Don't Forget to Eat and Drink Water
This one sounds obvious, but it's surprisingly easy to forget.
Your wedding day can be a whirlwind, and before you know it, you've been running around for six hours without eating.
Make sure you eat breakfast and have something available while you're getting ready. Keep water nearby throughout the day, too.
Pack an Emergency Kit
Have a small emergency kit nearby with things like:
Fashion tape
Safety pins
Band-Aids
Tissues
Bobby pins
Stain remover
Blotting papers
Lipstick
Pain reliever
Deodorant
Sewing kit
Mints
Hopefully you won't need most of it, but you'll be very glad it's there if you do.
Take a Few Minutes Alone With Your New Husband
Your wedding day will go by so much faster than you expect.
At some point during the reception, step away from the crowd for a few minutes.
Go outside. Walk around your venue. Sit somewhere quiet.
Just the two of you.
Take a breath and look at each other.
You've spent months, or even years, planning this day, and suddenly you're married. Give yourselves a few minutes to actually experience it together.
Don't Let the Little Things Ruin Your Day
Something probably won't go exactly according to plan.
Maybe it rains.
Maybe a boutonnière falls off.
Maybe your timeline runs 15 minutes behind.
At the end of the day, those things won't be what you remember.
You'll remember walking down the aisle.
You'll remember the way your husband looked at you.
You'll remember your dad seeing you in your dress for the first time.
You'll remember dancing with your friends.
You'll remember laughing until your cheeks hurt.
Those are the things that matter.
Your Only Job Is to Enjoy It
The best piece of wedding day advice I can give you is this:
Let yourself be present.
You've done the planning. You've made the decisions. You've chosen the flowers, the dress, the venue, the photographer, and all of the little details that make your wedding yours.
Now it's time to enjoy it.
Trust your vendors. Trust your timeline. Trust the people you've surrounded yourself with.
And when the day finally arrives, l look around, take it all in.
Because the most beautiful wedding days aren't necessarily the most perfect ones, they’re the ones where the couple is fully present, completely in love, and having the time of their lives.
Writen by:
Whitney Marie Photography
@whitneymariephotography
